The present invention relates to mailers of a type having an integral return envelope and particularly relates to mailers wherein the return envelope is specifically configured in the mailer to enable the return envelope to be opened by automatic letter opening equipment.
Many mailers have heretofore been constructed of multiple paper plies glued one to the other along their marginal edges. Certain of the edges form marginal tear strips such that the recipient of the mailer may tear off the tear strips and open the mailer. When open, the mailer oftentimes includes an integral return envelope formed by adjacent plies which are secured one to the other along their margins. One of the margins is usually left unsealed and a flap is provided on one of the plies which may be folded over and adhesively secured to the other ply to seal the return envelope.
In such constructions, the margins of the return envelope are secured one to the other along their opposing inside faces by lines of adhesive. Those lines of adhesive have a marginal depth, for example, on the order of 1/4 inch or more and extend about the periphery of the return envelope. Automatic letter opening equipment, however, is set to form a slit in the return envelope, usually no more than 1/16 of an inch from the edge of the return envelope. Consequently, when return envelopes of the prior art mailers previously described are run through the automatic letter opening equipment, the slitting or cutting action does not remove enough of the envelope to clear the marginal adhesive line. That is, sufficient adhesive remains between the opposed faces of the plies of the return envelope to maintain the margins secured one to the other notwithstanding that a portion of the adhesively-secured margins has been removed.
It is not feasible to set the automatic letter opening equipment to form a slit further inwardly of the edge of the envelope than about 1/16 inch. This is because the automatic letter opening equipment is also used to automatically open conventional envelopes. If set to form a slit spaced further from the edge of the envelope, it would also slit the contents of the envelope as well as possibly require in use discrimination between conventional envelopes and return envelopes used in mailers. As a consequence, it has not heretofore been feasible to use automatic letter opening equipment with a return envelope formed as an integral part of a mailer where the margins of the return envelope are secured one to the other by a line of adhesive having a depth greater than the distance the automatic letter opening equipment will form a slit from the edge of the envelope.
The present invention provides a mailer with an integral return envelope which minimizes or eliminates the foregoing and other disadvantages of return envelopes for mailers and provides a novel and improved mailer with an integral return envelope constructed specifically for use with automatic letter opening equipment. According to the present invention, there is provided a mailer formed of multiple plies of sheet material, e.g., paper, which may be adhesively secured one to the other along their margins to enclose remittance slips, statements and the like, and also to enclose, at least in part, a return envelope formed integrally with the mailer. More specifically, the return envelope may be formed in part by an intermediate ply secured along its margins to one of the outer plies. For example, where generally rectilinear mailers and return envelopes are provided, the intermediate ply may be secured along three of its margins to one of the outer plies. The fourth margin may be left unsealed to form an opening for the return envelope. Two of the margins of the intermediate ply may be adhesively secured to corresponding opposed margins of the outer ply. The third margin of the intermediate ply is, according to the present invention, reversely folded over onto itself to form a flap. Adhesive is applied between the flap and the outer ply such that the adhesive securement between the intermediate and outer plies lies between the flap and outer ply. Thus, the interior of the return envelope extends outwardly to the foldline of the flap. This enables the edge of the return envelope to be slit, for example, by automatic letter opening equipment, along a line spaced only slightly inwardly of the edge of the envelope formed by the foldline of the flap. In this manner, tee automatic letter opening equipment may be set in conventional fashion, i.e., to remove a 1/16-inch strip from the edge of the envelope, with the assurance that the slit will open the return envelope. That is, the slit will be formed along the flap and the intermediate ply inwardly of the foldline to form an opening for the envelope and also along the glue line between the flap and the outer ply. Thus, the adhesive or glue line is to one side of the opening and does not interfere with or maintain the return envelope sealed once the slit has been formed.
In the particular mailer hereof, the outer plies are preferably formed from a single sheet of paper folded substantially medially. Tear strips are provided along the margins of the mailer such that, upon their removal, one ply may be removed from the other ply, thereby exposing the return envelope for use. It will be appreciated from the foregoing description that the flap and its adhesive securement to the outer ply is inset from the adjacent adhesively secured margin of the two outer plies. Consequently, upon removal of the one ply by the recipient, the recipient may also remove the remaining strip of the other ply along a perforation line provided adjacent the edge of the return envelope, i.e., the foldline of the flap. Preferably, the outer ply adjacent the open end of the return envelope has a closure flap carrying either a rewettable or pressure-sensitive adhesive whereby the closure flap can be folded and sealed to the return envelope.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a mailer having a return envelope, comprising first and second paper plies, means about the margins of the plies for releasably securing the plies one to the other, and a third paper ply disposed between the first and second plies and having discrete margins. Means are provided about the margins of the third ply for securing the third ply and one of the first and second plies one to the other whereby the intermediate ply and the one ply form a return envelope. Means are also provided defining an opening for the return envelope along a margin of the third ply, one of the margins of the third ply being reversely folded along a foldline to form a flap disposed between the third ply and the one ply and a line of adhesive disposed between the flap and the one ply to secure the third ply and the one ply one to the other along the one margin whereby an edge portion of the return envelope and including the flap may be slit adjacent the foldline and along the adhesive line to open the return envelope.
In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a two-way mailer, comprising first, second and third paper plies, means for releasably securing the first ply and one of the second and third plies one to the other such that the first ply may be removed from the mailer, means including portions of the second and third plies defining a return envelope, one of the second and third ply portions having a margin folded about a foldline to form a flap disposed between the second and third ply portions adjacent an edge of the return envelope and means between the flap and the other of the second and third ply portions for securing the flap and the other ply portion one to the other whereby the flap and the one of said second and third ply portions form opposed parts of the return envelope with the foldline forming an edge of the return envelope.
In a still further preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a mailer having a return envelope, comprising a plurality of paper plies including first and second paper plies forming the outer plies of the mailer and means about the margins of the plies for releasably securing the first and second plies one to the other. The plurality of paper plies include an intermediate ply disposed between the first and second plies and have discrete margins. Means are provided for securing the intermediate ply and one of the plurality of plies one to the other whereby the intermediate ply and the one ply form a return envelope. Means are also provided cooperable between the intermediate ply and the one ply defining an opening for the return envelope along a margin of the intermediate ply, one of the margins of the intermediate ply being reversely folded along a foldline to form a flap disposed between the intermediate ply and the one ply and a line of adhesive disposed between the flap and the one ply to secure the intermediate ply and the one ply one to the other along the one margin whereby an edge portion of the return envelope and including the flap may be slit adjacent the foldline and along the adhesive line to open the return envelope.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved mailer with return envelope specifically constructed to facilitate its use with automatic letter opening equipment.
These and further objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reference to the following specification, appended claims and drawings.